Apparatus for converting hydrocarbon oils



Feb. 6, 1928.

wI F. MUEHL. APPARATUS FOR CQVRTING HYDROCARBON OILS.

2 SHEET YSHEET l.

FILED AUG. I7. 1922.

mts. AS S /NVENTOR M//fmi /r ue/z/ ATTORNEY LMZS.

Feb. 6, 1923..

. W. F MUEHL.

APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING HYDROCARBON OILS.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FILED Aueju. 1922.

V/NVENTO/e Www/2f Mae/7A Y. fw

A TTORNEY l l 1| lull lill \ lili, Il l Patented Feb. 6, 1923.,

N l iii WILLIAIM F. MUEHL, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING HYDROCARBON OILS.

Application filed. August 17, 1922. Serial No. l582,@5.

To all Unio/met may conce/fn y Be it known that L lNInniAM F. MUEHL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas 6lOity7 in the county of Jackson and ltate oi lilissourf,v have invented certain new and usctul improvements in Apparatus for lonverting lffydrocarbon Oils; and l do declare the following to be a full7 clear, and enact description of the invention, such as will enabie others skilled in the art to which it appcrtains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings` and to the ligures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specication.

This invention relates to an apparatus for converting hydrocarbon oils having a high boiling point into hydrocarbon oils having a lower boiling point and this application is a continuation in part of an application tiled by me on or about June l5, 1922 Serial No. 568,493. i

The primary object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for improving the process for converting the heavier hydrocarbon oils into lighter hydrocarbon oils to provide a product commercially known as gasoline and another very important object of the invention is to provide means by which the process can be carried on continuously without shutting down the plant for cleaning, inspection or repairs5 it being one of the features of the invention that the Ibulk of the oil under treatment will maintain its temperature and pressure for a considerable period even after the plant has shut down.

lt is further of prime importance that an eliicient workable means be provided for removing accumulated carbon from the digester still into which the oil is introduced at a cracking temperature from the primary heater because by such an arrangement the digester can be kept clear of carbon and thereby allow a continuous operation of the plant.

In all cracking plants of which l have knowledge the operations are intermittent, due to the fact that frequent shutdowns must occur for the purpose of cleaning out the carbon in the digesters. These shutdowns are of frequent occurrence and' obviously when a plant is shut down for cleaning` out carbon, the oil must be drawn off and the lant must be allowed to cool with the resu tant loss of time and fuel in the operation of the plant. The cooling and cleaning operation extends over a considerable period of time so that before the plant can be started up again additional time is lost and con` siderable fuel is consumed in bringing the oil to the proper cracking` temperature.

My invention contemplates the provision of means whereby the plant can be operated continuously over a considerable period of time in contra-distinction to the intermittent operation of all plants of which l have any knowledge. rlhe continuous operation is accomplished by providing certain heaters which heat the liquid to the decomposing temperature, these heaters being arranged so that one may be cut out while the other is operated, or vice versa, and in order to assist in the accomplishment of the desired result I provide a primary cracking or vapor chamber, sometimes called a digester, into which the heated oil is fed, losing its velocity due to the capacity of the chamber, so that the cracking or reaction 'can take place while the oil is practically quiescent, the advantage being that the buoyancy of the oil or its ability to support carbon in suspension is reduced to a minimum and the carbon is permitted to gravitate to the bottom of the zone or digester from which it can be removed without interference with the continuous use of the vapor chamber in the operation of the plant.

This is of great importance because all plants of which I have knowledge mustessentially be intermittent in their operations because no means has been provided to remove the carbon at the proper point in the system so that the reactions may continue while the carbon is being removed.

ln carrying out my invention the oil is tiret introduced into one of the digesters or vaporizing chambers to provide a relatively large volume. The oil may feed from it into primary heaters or tubular furnaces, at which point its temperature will be raised to a cracking temperature. The oil passes in ascending streams through vertical tubes in the primary heaters or furnaces at a relatively rapid rate sufficient to prevent deposition of carbon upon the inner surfaces of the tubes and from there it is passed into a relatively large chamber or digester wherel the oil accumulates in a relatively large volume, ,For example, the oil passes through the primary heaters at a decomposing temperature at a speed of about 16 Ito 20 feet per minute and discharges into t/he first di gester or vaporizing chamber at that temperature, where its velocity will have an appreciable drop, the primary digester or chamber being relatively long in comparison to its diameter and the large volume of oil contained in the chamber causes the incoming oil from the primary heater to be practically dormant as to speed or movement to permit sufiicient time for decomposition to take place. The gases disengage themselves from the oil in this chamber and since the oil loses its buoyancy due to the slowing-up ot its speed, there is a deposition of carbon in the first digester or chamber. The oil preferably enters the digester at one end and the vapor passes out at the other. The discharge end of the first digester or chamber is connected to a second digester or chamber of substantially like. dimensions and in the same horizontal plane for the purpose of maintaining the level in both chambers consta-nt.

Immediately below the outlet olf` the first digester or chamber is a screen co-extensi ve vwith the cross section of the digester at that point, the screen being provided for the purpose of further facilitating the deposition of the carbon therein. When the carbon is deposited on the bottom of the first digester, it may be intermittently scraped or forced to a sump 'provided to receive it. the sump being in the form of a pit inthe bottom oi the first digester. An appropriate means is provided for either intermittently or continuously allowing the carbon to he removed from the bottom of the first still or cracking chamber Withoutinterfering with the proper decomposition of the oil within it.

I have provided means whereby the vapor or lighter hydrocarbons thrown ofi'l by Ythe heated oil in the first digester or chamber may be discharged into a dephlegmator in which it may pass up through a body of preheated oil at a temperature Vless than the decomposition temperature. the vapors being' released at the bottom of the dephlegmator to pass through the oil therein and cause the vapors which are not condensed at thetemperature contained in the dephlegmator to pass into the condenser at atmospheric pressure and when condensed. they are removed from the top of the condenser While the nonconderrsible gases are Withdrawn at the bottom ofthe condenser and returned to the primary heaters or furnaces.

' The evel of the preheated oil Within the dephlegmator is maintained constant by overfiowmg into the second digester above mentioned, Where additional disengagement of the vapors in the oil is accomplished, it

.being intended that the oil overflowing from the first i'gester directly intothe second digester will also permit disengagement of. certain vapors adapted to pass back into thcy dephlegmator to combine with thoseI lighter ends which have been fed into the dephlegmator from the first digestcr and with them pass into the condenser.

I have provided means whereby one of the primary heaters or furnaces may be cut ofi" Without disturbing the operation of tho other heater. The circuit thereby may be continuously maintained, the pressure all the While being maintained constant throughout the apparatus except in the condenser and the temperature in the second digester is all the While maintained approximately constant so that the system will be operating at approximately the same ternperatures and pressures throughout; there being, of course, a slight variation in tenu peratures in the various parts of the system due to natural causes but it is important in my invention that` the temperatures be maintained as nearly constant throughout as is practical in a system of this kind.

While the drop in temperature iu the system will bei slight. it Will be such as to cause the oil returning from the digester 2 to the heaters to enter the heaters below that which will permit cracking but the heaters will raise the oil to a cracking temperature be- .I

fore .it enters the digester 1.

The details ot construction of the inv-cntion as Well as the novel results obtained will be apparent by reference to the following description in connection with the drawings, in which Fig. l is a perspective diagrammatic vieu' of the complete system, certain parts being: shown in section to better illustrate their construction.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, longitudinal View of the primary digester or vaporizing chamber shown partly in elevation and partly in section.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, vertical, sectional` view through the dephlegmator. and

Fig. 4 is a vertical, longitudinal, sectional view through one of the preheatcrs.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals of reference:

1 designates a digester or tank of appropriate dimensions, considerably longer than its diameter. and 2 is a complementary or secondary digester. which is connected directly with the digester 1. through the pipe 3 so that there will be corresponding liquid levels in the tivo digesters. The digester Q has an outlet 4 at the end opposite to that at which the pipe 3 connects it to the di gestor 'L The outlet- 4 discharges into a pipe 5 which, in turn. empties into the primary heaters or *furnaces for raising the oil to the decomposing tempera-tures.

The oil is first introduced into the still 2 through any suitable'means in order to provolume to Feed. the pi'i 'ietei. 6 and "i ount of oil is si plied? l secondary cliDestei naftU will n tlv l a through the horizon tnl1V a. pi'elielltei and thence to we lli'i's. l :in

'we 5 connects (.ii'eetly into the leenheater@ tn-5 @i .iiztncli pipe .lli e the pi 5 Vith the lieziclei e if; lieallgoinot siown) olf the nl* A lliei'eoi'e, tlie oil can pass from the pi 3e 5 through pipe 5 diiectly into tile header t5 we tie heater pi'ovlcletl the Valve l? is cizieliotl. ll:

the 'valve 18 in tlie binne-li nl mninninioating with pipe 5 i el. may page into the lower .e' nl 'fille lieritei' 7. lit the valve li' is *fnv heiter G Will be ont ont of the the wide botli heaters (i and l" ae will have its temperature it Will p2. iai 'l inte tliioug'li the tubes l0, tlio liet e in the ugpei" liendeie 9 enf o the nine 20 lloving' mln-:iris 2l. one 1to1" Aeeoli. lien-teli.

.pipe into a ciieuluiting wfliicli con ioin Jr a As the oil L tln'ongiglzf. alle anbei-l .0 its velocity Wil be enough t, oi'event oi." et ieclnce abili y ocunmlzition cabon.

v icetlucecl when i loon will be inni I 't enters the gvfiniirj/ (li e tei l beceise tliei'e will o gdatively Small @nenni iteong Lito :i i'el fflljf volume of oil in the lili- ;i'eetei l. llieif-oiej the oil will. nass into the tlikfgjee'o its velocity being reduced intl lmoya'mfy impaired., Thereioie, the cui' ill-v jkQ lion lontiiecl in the incoming/j oil will be 1 gizwitate to the bottom of ie Y i lyon1 which it may be ec apefl into :i nit oi' ,lmnp 25 at 'die discharge of the cligester l.

The butti in oi' the Sun coin nifnientee girlie 2G Conneoteflto one enil of am. oil iieliefl'si" 97 and in the pipe Q6 is a` valve 28t pi'ovd-ell with a ielatively Wheel 29 inncli like a, fly Wheel i operator (Tn easily tiiin the valve tai-spin it so sie to unentaiily open the pipe 26 to ellonr the "y re in the tank. oi fl'(v4 stei l to lllov @mutilated carbon from the sump through the prelieatei into the pipe SO,

,oil from 39 will maintain the level oxf- Clephlegjni:ttor and the level ofthe oil in the the acouinnl 'L l with to ieffew :33e zisplin Etui-.17 iterl the ennui.

EU winni sind tno Cole.. ol.. the lient Y. eizitefl in. the )affini/wilgen 'ine' the ce. 'bon auf. otliei flegioeis v ten and whim. communi- ,-nt through pil/e le pielieatoi i.. provided and thence .Y bottom of the (ej tlie oil @mees tliio-ugli fl@ it will pt se ace 37 in t i4 @we oil in tlie digestei's l sind ln oliiei' Tv une. #i L@ A'lient oil. tlii'onfili the twnlzf. or

the

2 to allow the oil pen to.

lieateie and into the digesteis l the oil teaches the propel level in gesters. The pio'peilevel in the liv o .l be immediately elow the s which is Acoextensive with the proposez', l Y of the oil theiein. The soieen will lio (l scribed in. detail liei'einetei.

vapor outlet foi: the (Y n cone sting' of which dise the tlephleginatoi: 4;() and llowr Attention' is collectL .1 1.1,* pipe which clisoliaimges into :l ser in the bottom oi.

t ie oep-lilegnmtoi' lfd..

incoming oil in the,lelplegzjim l0 :inoit iniflwni the height of tlie (lejohle nitoi.' C2i@ ing qenlise its 'flonho't is throng., pipe e.

which llas its inlet above its -liSClmrgo inte the tank oi digestei 2. "lliei'efore7 the n" C 4.5 serves an oven-low pine l cleplilegniatoi cannot rise above ie inlet enel of ie pipe 45.

The iieplileginatoi is provided i th e plurality of bellies. There am, two sesby lesifnatefl il@ and A7 These designate-fl V ,7, o i1-e (3o-extensive with the oi'oss Section olf the cleplilegmator but they L Those designated 4 me oi"- `leso are nenfoifitef. h

than the clephlegnietoi and. they diameter alltel-neto with those designated 46 so that a tortuous passage is provided to cause a tortuous flow of the lighter ends of the hydrocarbons which have escaped from the spider 44.

The dephlegmator has a vapor space 48 above the liquid and this space is also provided with baffles so that it will tend to condense whatever ends heavier than those of the gasoline group which may be contained therein so that the escaping vapors from the dephle mator will be the very light ends, such as will produce a high grade of gasoline.

From the vapor space 48 of the dephlegmator the vapors pass through a pipe 50 connected to the top of the condenser 51 and in the pipe 50 is a constant pressure valve 52 which will allow the vapors to pass into the condenser 51 at atmospheric pressure. The condenser may be of any appropriate construct-ion; it can have a header at the top and bottom connected by a tube, the top header being connected by an inlet water pipe 53 and the bottom header by a discharge water pipe 54 or vice versa, so that the Water will flow through the condenser land cool the incoming vapors received from the pipe 50. The condensed vapors within the condenser 51 will discharge through pipe 55, as will also some non-condensible gases, the latter being adapted to pass up through the pipe 56 and be drawn into the pipe 57 through the medium of the pump 58 where the non-condensed vapors or gases may be fed back into the lower headers of the primary furnaces. The liquefied vapors, however, will pass from pipe 55 into a measuring tank 59 and through a meter 60 into a storage tank 61.

After the lant has been started, the oil will be supp ied from the supply tank l32 through the pump 33 through the first preheater 27, through the second preheater 38, through pipe 39 into the dephlegmator, overflowing into pipe 45 and into the secondary digester 2, through pipe 5 and through pi e 5 directly into the lower header of t e heater 6, or it may flow into the lower header of the heat-er 7 or into both heaters together.

After the oil is heated it will pass up through the upper headers of the heaters 6 and 7, the circulating pump 23 inducing it to flow into the quiescent zone or primary digester l where its velocity will be retarded and tinre enough given to it to undergo a transition of the oil into vapor or to give up the lighter ends to be subsequently converted into gasoline.

The screen 41 may consist of one or a plurality of foraminous, reticulated or other perforate layers, the screens being of progressively decreasing mesh from the bottom toward the top layers so that in the event that the suspended carbon and other extraneous matter is introduced into the digester 1 with the vapors or oil from the pipe 24, the meshes of the screen will arrest them. Therefore, the oil which overflows through the screen through pi e 3 into the secondary digester 2 will have t e carbon removed before it enters the digester 2 and for that reason it will not be necessary to have any screen in the digester 2.

The supply of liquid will not be diminished because there will be fresh oil coming into the dephlegmator all the time and its overflow will find its way into the digester 2 through the medium of the pipe 45 and from the digester 2 to the primary heaters 6 and 7.

In order to remove the carbon from the primary digester 1 without disturbing the operation of the system in any way, I have provided a scraper 62, which has a hanger 63 traveling on a guide rail 64 extending from end to end of the digester 1. The scraper consists ofr a blade pivoted to the hanger at 65 and having a bail 66 to which one end of the conveyor chain 67 is connected, the other end of the chain being connected to the hanger 63. The chain passes around an idler sprocket 68 and around a power sprocket 69. The sprocket 69 is on a shaft 70, carrying a beveled gear 71 with which meshes a beveled gear 72 on a shaft 73. passing through the stufing box 74 and driven b'y an electric motor 75. The electric motor can be a reversing motor which will reverse after it has made a certain number of turns. Such reversing mechanism is very common on the market and can be readily supplied by numerous electrical manufacturers. Such devices Work so that when there is a certain rotative movement of the motor shaft, the motor will reverse. Therefore, it is calculated to provide means so that the scraper can move longitudinally for a certain distance, enough to discharge the carbon to the sump, and then retrace its movement and since the pull on the bail 66 by the chain will be in a rearward direc tion during the retractive movement, the blade 62 will swing away from the bottom of the tank. It will only work against the bottom of the tank or digester 1 when it is moving toward the sump, in which position it will be scraping the carbon into the sump.

Whenever the sump is full it is obvious that the carbon7 which is in a semi-liquid state, along with the tar and asphaltum, may be blown through the pi e 26 when the valve 28 is cracked, kas above escribed. The hand wheel 29 is preferably really a ily wheel which can be swung around in one direction to crack the valve and then quickly swung around in the other direction to close the valve.

If it is desired to have a continuous discharge from the sump I may make use of Y pipe 76, `which ley-passes the .Il and which, in itself, is provided a valve Y? which may he slightly 1 to allow a continuous movement olE l matter from the sump into the pre-heater 2]?.

l. e'hly important that the carbon be .oved just the point shown; that it is iinj" With ' tant that me vapor zone bec n c r i eed iter "uiicular poiirt, there Will be a setcarbon in the digester l., the result t the plant must be shut down le to time to clean the d ster or tanlr i lnich impairs vitally one or the most important points oli the invention; that is, to provide a continuous operation and as is ivell appreciated by those skilled in the art, the c `t dilriculty ',vith existing plants is the laclf ci abilit tions relatively to continue the operalong periods because it laut has to be shut down for one-halt i cleaning or rettor inspection, 4

pairs, it A-s obvious that the plant is only 50% (as etiicient as it would be if it could he run continuously. 'lhere is not only a loss ol.i time When a plant is shut down but av great ot iiuel required to bring the plant haci 11e operating temperatures.

These ditliculties are not present in my invention 'fre/cause l can close oit one primary heater (l 7 by closing oil the valves, say

'i' and E2 for the heater 6 or valves i :for the heater 20, and the other heater can operate independently and the plant can he lrept in operation.

lli it hec-emes necessary` however, to close heaters, there will not be such in time and consumption ol' tuel ie taule-s or digesters l and 2 are acity and they are, there'joier c etain the oil in a het state tor a very long time, particularly is this true since both digesters are heayily insulated to prevent the escape of heat.

it is also important to note that the tanks 2 together have twice the capacity oi? one tant; and twice the length oit time pil-.'ovidefl for vaperising the lighter ends. 'l`hereit`oic the moet elirient vaporization will take place.

cox luse, the oil is initially heated in the heaters (i and 7 hut it is Adischarged at such a rapid rate trom said heaters that it does n have the necessary time to crack or disintegrate until it reaches the primary digester lt Will there give up most of the lighrer end vapors but in the event that there is not time enough for these to disassociate themselves from the heavier ends, the oil mferflovving through pipe 3 into the seconda-3v digester 2 Will i'inally give up at least most of the lighter ends which may flow back through pipe 42 into the dephleg-` mat-cr and combine with those passing through pipe l2 into the spider 44:.

The heaters 6 and 7 may independently in through the pipes 78 and 79 which communicate with the ottake pipe S0 and with the respective heaters. rlhe pipes 78 and 79 have valves 8l and 82. Therefore, une it is desired to cut out one heater 'for inspection or repairs, its drain valve Will he opened, its inlet valve will be closed and its discharge valve Will be closed. For example, suppose it is desired to cut out heater 6. rlhe valve 17 will be closed so that no supply ol' oil may enter the lower heater 8, 'lhe valve 22 will be closed because there will be no oil to pass into the digester l. The valve 82 Will be open so that all the oil may drain therefrom, the valves 18 and 21 may be opened so that the heater 7 may operate and, of course, in that event, the valve 8l Will be closed because this 'valve controls the drain discharge from the heater 7.

Attention is called to the tact that after system is initially charged by introducing oil into the digesters and the heaters are put into operation, there will be a circulation started in the system due to the thermo-Siphon effect in the system, the pump 23 being merely an accelerating` pump to assist the thernidsiphon effectin the systerni oil is generated into vapor and coi'iverted into gasoline, there Will be a depletion ol the supply originally furnished. This will be taken care ci by the pump 33, which will draw oil from the tank 32, force it through the heaters 27 and 38 by means et the pipes Se and 36, and cause it to enter the dephlegmator through the pipe 39. The pump 33 will be operated at a rate sulicient te maintain uniform supply commensurate with the drawirof gasoline from the pipe te make up tor the drawn-oil residues which are discharged through pipe 26.

lt is desired to main a constant temperature or the oil Within the heaters and the digesters i. and 2. This temperature will approximate .750 degrees F., and it is desired to n'iaintain the pressure at about 100 pounds to the square inch throughout the system except Within the condenser, this being recommended as giving the best results. @if course, there will be a drop oi" ten'iperature the dephlegmator due to the tact that the incoming oil Will be apprecia-bly lower in temperature than the vapors and it is estimated that this temperature will approximate 400 degrees F. The vapors leave the digesters l and 2 at about 700 degrees l?. lf they Were introduced directly into the condenser, one of the objects of the present invention Would be defeated but instead they are passed into the dephlegmater into Which oil at a very much lower temperature than the vapors has been introdnced. The vapors pass through the oil in the dephlegmator, percolatng or bubbling up from the bottom as above explained. Therefore, the vapors give up some of their heat to the body of oil so that the temperature of the vapors is reduced to about 400 degrees F., and it is the vapors at this temperature which are introduced into the condenser.

It will, therefore, be apparent that in passing the high temperature vapors throu the lower temperature oil in the dephle'gmator onl those volatile ends which wil boil up to degrees F., can go into the condenser. As a matter of fact, even these will come in contact with the plates in the vaporchamber above the body of oil while they are passing through the dephlegmator and, therefore their temperatures will be further reduced so that actually the volatile ends passing into the condenser past the reducing valve 52 will be slightly less than 400 de rees F., say `about 375 de rees F.

As a resu t of this treatment, on y those vrpors of the lighter ends will be driven o' the heavier ends being condensed within the dephlegmator and returned, to be run back to the digester 2 and thence to the heaters 6 Iand 7 Of course, it is to be understood that by arranging the reducing valve 52, the pressures of the vapors passing into the condenser can be controlled. The reducing valve will cause the vapors to enter the condenser at approximately atmospheric pressure, the condensate assing oil' through the pipe 55 and the fixed gases returned to the system through the pi 57.

According to my p an then, the formula may be stated as heat plus pressure plus volume equals percent of recovery. The generally accepted theor is heat plus pressure equals percent but lnd that I obtain very high eflciency by maintaining the oil in the system at a substantially constant pressure and at a substantially constant tem-v perature throughout and that by continuously introducing oil in proportion to the amount of yield and the dischargedV precipitated carbon, the volume is maintained constant.. The low temperature oils not only serve as a re lenishing medium but they also constitutea eat exchanging medium whereby the vapors of the relatively high boiling point will be reabsorbed back into the system before they can enter the condenser, the obviousresult being a yield of hydrocarbon (gasoline) of relatively low boiling point.

There is a special advantage in arranging the digesters 1 and 2 above the heaters so that the oil iwill enter the digester l, and be absorbed by the large body of oil so that there will be no violent agitation. The importance of this is that the carbon may settle out in the digester 1 because, obviously, the less agitation in the digester, the more eilicient will be the settling out of the carbon. The settling out, however, may be materially assisted by the screens in the digester 1.

I estimate that the oil will pass through the tubes in the heaters 6 and 7 at from 16 to 20 feet per minute. I do not wish to state this as a positive speed, however, because the speed may be Whatever is necessary to prevent coking within the tubes and obviously, the faster the oil travels through the tubes, the less liability there will be of coking. However, it is important that after the oil has been raised to the decomposing temperature it should enter the digester 1 and remain there long enough to permit the necessary disintegration to allow the giving up of the vapors to be subsequently converted into gasoline.

It should be remembered that the oil is quickly transferred from the heaters to the dig-esters 1 and 2 and it is introduced into the digesters in a liquid state where it disintegrates and vaporizes, passing into the dephlegmator where the lighter ends separate from the heavier and pass into the condenser.

Attention is called to the fact that I may take advantage of conservation of heat by utilizin any available heat in the system for raslng the temperature of the incomingI oil and for that reason I prefer to run the oil through the preheaters 27 and 38.

Another important feature is that I arrange the digesters so that their capacities are great enough to hold 'large bodies of oil. It is, therefore, possible to cut out the heaters, make the necessary repairs, and cut them back into the line without any appreciable loss of heat in the major bodies of o'sl. The importance of this will be thoroughly appreciated when it is considered that it requires about twelve hours to raise the temperature of the oil from its original temperature to the decomposing temperature whereas with my invention the major portion of the heat is conserved in the digester while the repairs are taking lace, it being understood, of course, that t e digesters are thoroughly insulated with lagging or suitable covering.

lt is Important that the system be a. closed system so that the oil can be continuously circulated through it. The only fresh oil which is introduced into the system is that which is required to keep the volumes in the digesters and heaters constant.

It is further of prime importance that the carbon be removed in the first digester l and if necessary from the second digester 2. There are pecularconditions existent in the digesters 1 and 2 dierentiating my invention materially from other known constructions. That is, the carbon is deposited in the first teenies i digester in a semi-liquid or semi-plastic condition and it gravitates to the bottom et the digester -where there is no local application of heat. Therefore, the carbon can be easily scraped olif the bottom of the digester and forced into the pit. it the carbon is deposited in a digester in which exterior heat is applied or Where there is a local application of heat to the shell, the heat causes the carbon to become baked on the inside oi the digester and because the steel oi the digester has an ailinity lor carbon, it adheres so inti- :fiately that it can be removed only With great difficulty. @rdinarily Scrapers are not able to tai-:e oil" the carbon so that the carbon deposits build up While the scrapers ride over them, the result being that the scrapers in practice do not perform the functions ttor which they are intended.

By depositingthe carbon in the ers to which no hea-t is applied7 this baiting; Will not taire place so that the scrapers can removevthe carbon in its semi-liquid or semiplastic condition.

Attention is also called to the fact that the screen in the irst digester prevents ebule lition of the oil and, theretore, causes a more eiiicient distillation than is possible wher the oil is in a constant state of agitation. ltmay be Well to state here that it is desirable to move the scraper very slowly through the digestsy so that the liquid Will not be unduly agitated or stirred, which would have a tendency to maintain the carbon inv suspension lt is desired to have the liquid in the digester il as quiet as possible so that the maximin/1ievaporation may taire place and so that practically all oi: the carbon will be deposited in the bottom ot the digester l. @it course, the screen `will tend to screen out the carbon in the liquid Which would oyeriiow from the digester i to digester 2 so it is estimated that very little, if any, carbon can get into the digester 2 lt l find it desirable, however', .l may place a carbon remover in the digester 2 although ordinarilyv l believe it will not be necessary.

lt Will be apparent that the organization is quite complete, that it is a truly continuous process and that a high degree o' ehi* ciency can be obtained due to the long time element allowed for the disintegration of the oil aitter it has been heated up to high temperature. The accessibility of the parts and th, ease ot operation are also oli prime importance in an invention oi this character and these attributes are possessed in the organization shown and heretoi'oredescribed.

V7 hat l claim and desire to secure by Letters-latent is:

l. An apparatus for converting hydrocarbon oil o? high boiling' point into hydrocarbon oil ot lower boiling point, comprising a furnace, heating means including Vertically disposed oil conducting pipes in said furnace, an elo posed, insulated ci j furnace, a connefW heating means to on digester being,l ot length to dissipate the velocityY of 2 of oil 'from the connecting pipe wh f ters the diges and to allor.'Y suiicie 'for disintegration oli the oil lighter ends will pas oil' from ends during` the passage et jthe the digester and carbon phlegmator, means :tor from a portion of the t" its inlet end into said dephleb` ond elongated, insideterj horizontal elige' of the saine capacity aid length as the friet digester, a pipe coinniunicatinr;l the first and second digesters to pcrnit unf-raporized oil to pass troni the iirst d ester into elle 0nd digest-er ivherein the ten'iperature et l" oil remains substantially uncimini means for ',teeding` fresh oil into the the dephlekr vnator to collect in a pool means :for perin i=" "i np fresh oil and conf sates overiiow )in said "ioni into tf e sen-u from the second digester to the dephlt tor, means for ret, tinvaijori from the second digester to the h means, means 'for maintaininp,` supcr-at plieric, pressure on the oil., and ine accelerating the i'itnr oli oil throu` heating,` means. 2. in appa bon eil oit high bon oil et lower a furnace, heating; means cally disposed oil conductn furnace, an elongated, horiz/o insulated digcster located. on nace, a lconnectinn,1 pipe leading; heating` means te one end of digester being of sufi length to dissipate. the vel` of oil from the connecting ters the digeser and to allor.' s 1 for disintegration ot the oil so tlat the lighter ends Wil off from tl f: hearief ents during` i tje y l; il the digester an the bottom oit f ing carbon tr tor connected to distant troni its inl nected to the dephle gated, horizontally c E rester oi! like capacity and length as the vlirst digester, a pipe coinrnuni( ing; the iirst and second digesters to peri the unraporized oil to pass from the 1igester into the second digester Wnerein the temperature of the oil remains sulfistantially ndiminished, means for feeding` fresh oil into the base of the dephlegmator to collect in a pool point i boiling; if

lul

therein, means for permitting fresh oil and condensates to overflow said pool into the second digester, a vapor discharge pipe leading Afrom the second digester to the dephlegmator, means for returning unvaporized oil from the second digester to the heating means, means for maintaining super-atmospheric vapor pressure in the heating means, digesters and depl'ilegmator, and means for accelerating the flow of oil through the heating means.

l. An apparatus ior converting hydrocarbon oil ot high boiling point into hydrocarbon oil ol lower boiling point comprising a furnace, heating means including vertically disposed oil conducting pipes in said furnace, an elongated, longitudinally disposed, insulated` digester located outside the furnace, a connecting pipe leading from the heating' means to one end of the digester7 means for passing the oil through and from the heating,r means at relatively high Velocity so as to reduce the liability ot' coking of the oil in the heating means and so that the oil will he discharged into the digester uncracked but at cracking temperature, the digester being ot' suiiicient capacity and length to dissipate the velocity of the stream of oil from the connecting pipe where it enters the digester and to allow sufficient time for disintegration ot the oil so that the lighter ends will pass off from the heavier ends during the passage of the oil through the digester and carbon he deposited therein, a dephlegmator, vapor conducting means conne` ting the dephlegmator to a portion of the digester distant trom its inlet end, a second elongated, longitudinally disposed, insulated digester of the same capacity and length. as the first digester, a pipe communicating the lirst and second digesters to permit the unvaporized oil to pass from the lirst digester into the second digester wherein the temperature of the oil remains substantially undiminished, an intermittently ,operating blow-off mechanism associated gesters to huloble through the pool of oil in the dephlegmator, means permitting the fresh oil and condensates to overflow from said pool into the second digester, means for returning unvaporized oil from the second insulated digestervlocated outside the furs nace, a connecting pipe leading from the heating means to one enfl of the digester, means for passing the oil through and from the heating means at relatively high velocity so as to reduce the liability of coking ot' the oil io the heating means and so that the oil will he discharged into the digester uncracl hut at cracking temperature, the digester heilig ot sufficient capacity and length tu dissipate the velocity of the stream ot oil from the connecting pipe where it enters the digester and to allow sulicient time for iilisintegration of the oil so that the lighter ends Will pass off from the heavier ends during the passage of the oil through the digester and carbon he deposited therein, a deiihlegmator. vapor' conducting means connecting the dephlegmator to a portion of the digester distant :trom its inlet end, a second elongated, longitudinally disposed, insulated digester ot' the same capacity and length as the first digester, a pipe communicating the first and second digesters to permit the unvaporized oil to pass from the iii-st digester into the second di gester wherein the temperature of the oil remains substantially undiminished, an intermittently operating blow-ott mechanism associated with the first digester, a preheater receiving its heat from the products of combustion passing from the furnace, means for feeding fresh oil through said preheater and then into the hase of the dephlegmator to collect in a pool therein, a vapor discharge pipe leading from the second digester to the dephlegmator, means for causing the vapors from both digesters to hubhleithrough the pool ot oil in the dephlegmator, means permitting the fresh oil and condensates to overtiow trom said pool into the second digester, means for returning unvaporized oil from the second digester to the heating means, and means for maintaining super-atmospheric pressure throughout the system except in the condenser. Y

ln testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

XVILLIAM F. MUEHL.

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